It has taken me much longer to clear the post-surgical cobwebs from my brain than I expected, so don't have many expectations for this post. I just hope it's in English. (But the hip repairs--NOT REPLACEMENT!--went well, and I should start getting off of crutches soon.)

* SPRINT STORE: I have said for years that no new neighborhood has truly arrived until it gets its first cellphone retailer, and I would not have guessed it would take until 2018 for that box to get checked, but numerous approved building permits indicate that Sprint will be opening a store in the old Sizzlin' Express space on the northwest corner of 4th and M.

* TUNNEL DOINGS: The last section of wall on the new Virginia Avenue Tunnel was poured on Feb. 22. an effort that overall totaled three miles of 24-foot-tall concrete. Meanwhile, 3rd Street should be reopening to two-way traffic Any Minute Now, which then paves the way (sorry) for both the 4th and 5th Street intersections to close, probably in mid-March, to dismantle the temporary bridge decks and complete the new tunnel's roof in those blocks, and wrap up the final street restoration. And no, the 6th Street exit ramp from the freeway won't close. The entire project is "on time," for completion this fall, according to CSX.

* ANOTHER PROJECT READY TO GO: A shoring/sheeting/excavation permit has been approved for the second phase of the "Riverfront" project, aka the Florida Rock site. This will be a 13-story, 260ish-unit residential building with about 12,000 square feet of retail, and will go up immediately to the west of Dock 79. When I'm a little more mobile I'll write a roundup of what's currently underway.

* WINERY HAPPY HOUR: If you don't have a supply of post-surgical painkillers like some people, there's now a Happy Hour at District Winery, from 3:30 to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday, with $8 signature cocktails and select wines, $5 select beers, and 50 percent of District Winery wines by the bottle.

Last week the surface lot closed and pedestrian barriers were put in place on I and 1st street eliminating parking. A few days later the barriers were placed in the empty lot. Do they have permits?

Having worked from home recently and driving through JDLand during business hours the roads are being clogged with construction vehicles, roads are failing, potholes are forming, and I cringe at the day a pedestrian is significantly injured at NJ & I st.

JD says: (2/27/18 11:46 AM)There is precious little info about the Tishman site, other than it's going to be about 800 units across the entire block and lots of retail. They've applied for their excavation permit but it doesn't appear to have been approved yet.

I have not seen any online versions of their renderings yet, but I think they showed them at a public meeting a few weeks ago.

My project page, which is a bit sad while it waits for fresh details:
link

RMP says: (2/27/18 11:49 AM)Welcome back! Now we move the countdown timer to the arrival of the new dental suite? Chloe has a winter happy hour and I went once and I think a beer was $7 or $8 (on special!) so I don't really plan to return again for Happy Hour there.

202_cyclist says: (2/27/18 12:35 PM)JD-- welcome back. Can you draw a rendering for the Tishman development, like you did for One Hill South. Also, with that lot, where will Handy Bikes relocate? Pete provides an excellent service for the neighborhood, with good quality repairs and honest service.

ColoradoCane says: (2/27/18 1:06 PM)I walked by the Tishman site on Friday night and saw that there was a notice posted on the front gate. The notice said the permit had been revoked and to move the barriers immediately. The next morning, Saturday, the barriers were removed. No idea what this all means, but figured I would add my two cents.

rpb says: (2/27/18 1:31 PM)This is a few weeks old now, so no update on recent barrier happenings at the site, but some info on the Tishman site was posted on Facebook: link

Then it sounds like the rest of us need to hurry up and start depleting some kegs wherever possible to get into mid-season form ASAP.

sameter says: (2/28/18 1:52 AM)3rd street was two way as of 10pm on 2/28. not sure if 4th or 5th was shut down.

JD says: (2/28/18 2:14 AM)Wow, 3rd Street's change happened after I saw it as still one way at about 1:30 pm.

Snacks says: (2/28/18 10:14 AM)@NavyYardRes it's likely just a matter of time until someone gets hurt at NJ & I. That intersection gets crazy at rush hour and during baseball games. Having left turn lanes, while necessary, has created a dangerous situation, especially as drivers get impatient because of all the pedestrians they have to wait for. As someone who uses that intersection daily I have to keep my head on a swivel for sure.

202_cyclist says: (2/28/18 11:39 AM)@Snacks-- I am not a traffic engineer but I think NJ & I will eventually need a traffic signal with the volume of vehicles and the confusion that intersection creates.

JD-- "But since it's right on our DMZ line, SWill was there and took some photos." Are you suggesting SWill is Rocket Man?

Has anyone heard any scuttlebutt about Navy Yard possibly getting a Target? I'm not one to be envious but...I was read that the Ivy City Target is forthcoming--it seems like the neighborhood would really welcome it.

Ampersand says: (2/28/18 11:48 AM)3rd Street was two-way at 7:00 last night, which caught me off guard. I think it might have been flipped very shortly before I passed by. In other news, there's a big sign up just north of Virginia on 4th, claiming that 4th Street will close on March 12th.

RMP says: (2/28/18 11:53 AM)I'm not sure I could even imagine where a Target would go. Plus the battle over parking garage space that would accompany that would be brutal. But I could be completely wrong as well.

malatesta says: (2/28/18 12:16 PM)I bet there's enough total space to do a small format target if you took up all the retail space in one hill south?

202_cyclist says: (2/28/18 12:36 PM)@RMP-- I don't know about how much of an issue parking would be for a Target in our neighborhood. I think most of the parking spaces at the DC USA shopping center in Columbia Heights goes unused. Perhaps a Target in the Navy Yard could work out an arrangement for use of the Nats Park garages for the times when there aren't games.

caphillguy says: (2/28/18 12:42 PM)If we're counting tower cranes only, I believe there are 11 cranes in the neighborhood currently - The Garrett would make 12.

stacycloyd says: (2/28/18 1:19 PM)@snacks and 202_cyclist, the ANC asked for a signal at NJ and I in 2016 and DDOT said there wasn't enough traffic yet. I even stood on the corner and counted cars to try and change their minds. I agree that it's not a pleasant intersection to walk or drive through (assume biking isn't any better). Ubers, Uhauls, and other vehicles blocking the bike lane and pedestrians crossing outside of crosswalks on the unit block of I also add to the confusion.

Ampersand says: (2/28/18 2:48 PM)@stacycloyd I was at an I Street redesign meeting where the DDOT rep said the same thing, to many protests. I think the biggest issue is that drivers are bad at taking turns. I nearly collided with a car last week when the driver decided that their turn was immediately after the car in front of theirs went, even though the cross traffic was already moving. Why wait when you can just make someone else slam on their brakes?

I find it ridiculous that there's a traffic signal at the "intersection" of 1st and Potomac SE, but they don't want to put one in at New Jersey and I based on a traffic count performed about 5,000 residents ago.

jdc says: (3/1/18 8:09 AM)There are several intersections in JD Land that are no longer suitable for how the neighborhood is developing. Some, like NJ, need an overhaul and I suspect more signalized intersections may be in order. Other streets could possibly go on a diet - I always find First Street north of M Street to be too wide for the traffic it carries.

JD says: (3/1/18 10:11 AM)And yes, before anyone posts, I am working right now on an update on three big news stories this morning.

Westnorth says: (3/2/18 11:32 PM)There was a rumor about unnamed big boxes interested in a space behind the Cap Skyline hotel, since it's right-in / right-out for Maryland commuters headed home on So Cap. The Wharf has also done some test-fit plans with potential big boxes, but none ended up in Phase 1.

I can't see any equivalent spaces in Cap Riverfront, except for the current Harris Teeter. Then again, Targets now come in sizes all the way down to CVS-size (13,000 sq. ft.), so you never know.

NavyYardNittany says: (3/20/18 6:16 PM)“RMP says: (2/28/18 11:53 AM) I'm not sure I could even imagine where a Target would go. Plus the battle over parking garage space that would accompany that would be brutal. But I could be completely wrong as well.“

Something similar to the “urban” Target on Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn would be a perfect fit in the neighborhood. No dedicated parking there, though there are public lots around it, as there are here. The OHS footprint probably isn’t large enough if they’re still trying to fit a Soul Cycle in, but with all the new buildings going up seems as though an appropriate space could be found. Anything to keep me from having to go to the nation’s worst CVS would be welcome.